Heart of Darkness
by Mark Shakespeare
Summary: Sorry, anything I say would give too much away! Just give it a try - it'll all become clear by the end!


DISCLAIMER: 

All characters herein are trademarks of Marvel Comics. This story is an unauthorised work done purely for my personal enjoyment, and is not intended to infringe on any of their rights in or their profits from these characters. But this story is copy write to me. 

Comments, especially (constructive) criticism, always welcomed. Please e-mail me at 

mshakespeare@callnetuk.com 

**Heart of Darkness**

"Go and tell my servants that I want a full status report on our operations within the hour. And tell Kukio to kill the fat American - we have no more need of him." 

"Yes, Lord." The servant bowed and left to pass on my message. I had wondered how long it would take me to persuade him that I was who I said I was, and whether I might have to kill one or more of my ninjas before they accepted me. But I forgot that Hira had mystic powers of his own - not many, I admit, and not on a level with my own, but enough for him to see me for who I truly was. 

I turn and regard the hot bath prepared for me. This new body of mine is one which is already feeling comfortable. True, it lacks the power of my old one, but it has so many advantages - youth being merely one of them. I let the black _shinobi shozoku_ fall to the floor at my feet, and walk over to the mirror to study myself. 

I am pleased. This new body has so much potential. When its new abilities are added to all I have learnt over the centuries, I will be unstoppable. I run my hands down my naked body. It is the body of an adolescent, not yet a woman, but stronger than it might first appear. The breasts are small, high, with pink nipples, the skin lighter than the women I have known before, but then, this is the body of a _gaijin_ girl-woman. The stomach is flat, hard and taut, the hips slender, the buttocks small and firm. Between my legs, the first curly hairs are appearing, as brown as the short hair now upon my head. Perhaps I should not have had the hair cut short? Ah well, I can let it grow before I 'return' to the United States of America to finish what I have begun. I must not let the others know that the girl they welcome back is not who left weeks before. From her memories I know that at least one of them reads minds. Well, my skills in the dark arts will let me hide myself within her mind until I am ready to strike them down, but I must be careful. Then there is the big one, her former love. Perhaps I can turn him? Or his sister, the one who is a demon sorceress? No, she is a threat like the mind-reader. She too must die. They will not suspect that this body houses an enemy. 

I step into the hot water as steam billows about me, and relax on one of the stone seats, letting the water warm my body. I ponder using sex against the man. I am certainly not unskilled in the arts of love, though I have never been in a woman's body during sex before. I must make sure that I do not let him see that I am experienced - after all, she is not, and until I am ready, I must be she, in all things. Her spirit is long gone from this new body of mine, but until I am ready to reveal myself, no-one else must know that. 

I think back on the night's events. She struck down her mentor, and the _ronin_ who interfered with her kill. He had been a disciple once, the one I planned to be my next host, but then he turned against me. Now he is dead. When the girl returned to me, she was already bound to me by guilt at what she had done, even though it was not of her volition. With that there, it took little for me to finally transfer my mind into hers, and make her body mine. Her spirit I banished to whatever Amaterasu, in Her mercy, might have in store for her. Let her ghost wander the winds forever, it is of no concern to me. Her memories will prove useful - they, based in the chemical patterns of the brain, are still available to me. Now I have the skills built up over a millennium, the skills of a computer genius, and a body which can go anywhere like a ghost. I run my hands between my legs. Yes, there is so much I can do with this young, beautiful body. 

Logan is dead, as is Yukio. Soon I must kill these X-Men who are in Katherine's memories, otherwise they might try to 'rescue' her, and that I cannot allow. I must go to them, and slay them all, before I can be sure that no-one will interfere with my plans. 

I smile, and relax into the water, as my skin turns pink from the heat. 

Besides, surely America, the 'Land of Opportunity', has so much more for Ogun the Eternal to take? 

************************************************** 

FIN


End file.
